Mountaineers above NCAA average for APR

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Academic Progress Rate scores released by the NCAA Wednesday have West Virginia's 17 sports above the NCAA's average four-year score and clear of any penalties from the NCAA.

The combined score of all varsity teams is 975, which is not only two points better than the average, but up one point from last year. WVU was also 968 in 2010, 964 in 2009 and 956 in 2008.

"I am pleased that our average score continues to climb each year and certainly thrilled that our average score ranks higher than the national average," said WVU Athletic Director Oliver Luck.

The APR, which the NCAA devised as a way to assess real-time academic success, bases scores upon the eligibility and the retention of student-athletes on scholarship over a four-year period. Those student-athletes can earn up to four points per year -- two per semester -- for being academically eligible and remaining enrolled at the school.

The points are added up, divided by the total amount of possible points on a team and then multiplied by 1,000.

If a team has 13 scholarship players, like men's basketball, the maximum total of APR points is 52. If every player remained eligible and enrolled for both semesters except one player who was ineligible in the spring and transferred at the end of the spring semester, the total is 50 points and the APR score is 961.

Teams must achieve a multi-year score of 900 or a 930 average over the two most-recent years to avoid penalties, which can include loss of practice time or the loss of eligibility for postseason participation.

For the 2010-11 academic year, the Mountaineers had their gymnastics, rowing and men's soccer teams score a perfect 1,000. The current four-year APR scores for WVU teams, from the 2007-08 academic year to the 2010-11 academic year, ranges from cross country (996) to wrestling (928).